diff --git a/docs/docsite/rst/dev_guide/testing/sanity/action-plugin-docs.rst b/docs/docsite/rst/dev_guide/testing/sanity/action-plugin-docs.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e9d339be63d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/docsite/rst/dev_guide/testing/sanity/action-plugin-docs.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Sanity Tests » action-plugin-docs
+=================================
+
+Each action plugin should have a matching module of the same name to provide documentation.
diff --git a/test/sanity/code-smell/action-plugin-docs.json b/test/sanity/code-smell/action-plugin-docs.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..39ac4bd57f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/sanity/code-smell/action-plugin-docs.json
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+    "always": true,
+    "output": "path-message"
+}
diff --git a/test/sanity/code-smell/action-plugin-docs.py b/test/sanity/code-smell/action-plugin-docs.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..36d063bb141
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/sanity/code-smell/action-plugin-docs.py
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+"""Test to verify action plugins have an associated module to provide documentation."""
+
+import os
+
+
+def main():
+    """Main entry point."""
+    skip = set([
+        '__init__',  # action plugin base class, not an actual action plugin
+        'net_base',  # base class for other net_* action plugins which have a matching module
+        'normal',  # default action plugin for modules without a dedicated action plugin
+
+        # The following action plugins existed without modules to document them before this test was put in place.
+        # They should either be removed, have a module added to document them, or have the exception documented here.
+        'bigip',
+        'bigiq',
+        'ce_template',
+
+        # The following action plugins provide base classes for network platform specific modules to support `connection: local`.
+        # Once we fully deprecate the use of connection local, the base classes will go away.
+        'aireos',
+        'aruba',
+        'asa',
+        'ce',
+        'cnos',
+        'dellos10',
+        'dellos6',
+        'dellos9',
+        'enos',
+        'eos',
+        'ios',
+        'iosxr',
+        'ironware',
+        'junos',
+        'netconf',
+        'nxos',
+        'sros',
+        'vyos',
+    ])
+
+    module_names = set()
+
+    for root, dirs, files in os.walk('lib/ansible/modules'):
+        for filename in files:
+            name, ext = os.path.splitext(filename)
+
+            if ext == '.py' and name != '__init__':
+                if name.startswith('_'):
+                    name = name[1:]
+
+                module_names.add(name)
+
+    action_plugin_dir = 'lib/ansible/plugins/action'
+    unused_skip = set(skip)
+
+    for filename in os.listdir(action_plugin_dir):
+        name, ext = os.path.splitext(filename)
+
+        if ext == '.py' and name not in module_names:
+            if name in skip:
+                unused_skip.remove(name)
+                continue
+
+            path = os.path.join(action_plugin_dir, filename)
+
+            print('%s: action plugin has no matching module to provide documentation' % path)
+
+    for filename in sorted(unused_skip):
+        print("%s: remove '%s' from skip list since it does not exist" % ('test/sanity/code-smell/action-plugin-docs.py', filename))
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()